


The fundamentals of caring.

by ladyunebarton



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Childhood Memories, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-02-02 07:51:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12722562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyunebarton/pseuds/ladyunebarton
Summary: After a fire on an Orphanage left three kids without a home. Heero and Duo decide to take them into their own for the mean time. But this decision will make them reconsider where they are and what they want from life.





	1. The fire

The fundamentals of caring.

A Gundam Wing Fanfic.

After a fire on an Orphanage left three kids without a home. Heero and Duo decide to take them into their own for the mean time. But this decision will make them reconsider where they are and what they want from life.

 

 

Heero saw as his partner raised his voice with each passing moment. The bloke in front of them wasn’t much younger than them. A few years maybe; but the difference was that when they were fighting a war, this kid was watching it unfold in front of his Tv with his grandparents.

The newbies were greener as time passed, they didn’t know battle and military tradition. Most Veterans of the war were already dead because they chose the wrong side again or because they went down with the right one. And with each increasing day the privates were far from the scar of the war. That was good and bad.

“Don’t look at me like that!, you know exactly what is the protocol!!” said Duo Maxwell angry. “You knew you had to report immediately to headquarters any anomalies, now you come here to tell me that there was indeed movement but you were enjoying the weekend to move your ass!”

“In my defense, I didn’t think it qualified as important at the time, what are the odds those were the men we were looking for?”

Duo snorted and grunted in annoyance  “You have balls kid!...”

He wanted to laugh because Duo not always was this way, their early days were filled with mistakes and a clear disregard of the rules. But they learned eventually and they definitely weren’t as incompetent as these new guys. Maxwell stopped being the god of death –because really, killing means a lot of paperwork--- and eventually this extra load of work made them being extra meticulous with their cases. Maxwell now was the god of bureaucracy and _he_ hated that because _he wanted_ to be funny and easy going. But Maxwell also hated staying extra hours working his ass off trying to undo things made in the field that were ok to be improvised but did make a shitload of paperwork. Somehow he was sure past Duo would totally judge the suspects by hunch like this kid. But now, not so much.

In that moment the telephone in Duo’s desk rang interrupting the scene.

“We’ll talk about this again. Now, I want you to go to Legal and ask for a search warrant for the Cargos”—Duo took the telephone. “Maxwell here..-- its for today!” he said to Jenkins.

“No, I’m not talking to you, you aren’t Jenkins” said Duo frowning. “Wait…what?, ..but everyone is okay?, yes I got it….eer what?!”

Heero raised an eyebrow to his partner. But Duo was still trying to grasp what they were telling him.

“I understand, but I’m the last person for this, I mean yes I am a volunteer, but mostly throwing money your way. But my job aint really friendly with the hours. Well yes!!, that’s true!, but how do you know?. You got that in a file?”

Heero was getting really curious about the call.

 “Yes, yes, yes all that is true. But what does that had to do with this?!,” Duo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can’t refute nor deny anything you are saying, but I still need to consult with my Partner about this, Ill call you back. What today?!, yes I understand. But I warn you that we….”

Duo slammed the phone back in the vid console. “That asshole hang on me?!!!”

“Who was it?” asked Heero  frowning.

“Some idiot that….how?...how do you feel about kids?”

“What?!” asked Heero with a strangled voice. Like a whole bucked of ice had just landed on his back.

“Yep, we have until six to decide…”

“What’s going on?” asked the Asian with big frown.

So Duo told him.

A wing of one of Sanq Orphanages burned during the night. Most were War orphans, a fact that deeply disturbed Duo, because he was convinced he made some of those earth and colony orphans. Especially in a place like Sanq, where most war orphans were granted double citizenship and were shipped into the country by other nations and colonies alike.

They were probably the best orphanages on the whole ESUN, but he liked the Sister Helen Memorial the best, because of obvious reasons. So his remorse and his nostalgia made Duo go to help each month ---if he had time allowed. More of a casual gig than anything. Especially if he got really antsy about his Post traumatic stress disorder. But otherwise barely involved with his volunteering at all.

Apparently there were no casualties of the fire, strict regulations made sure of that. But a lot of kids got suddenly without a home for the time being. And the social workers had a database of his Volunteers listed for emergency cases as foster homes. They wanted to know if he could take a kid in his home.

“I totally forgot that I had filed the form as a Foster Home in case of emergencies, But its ok if we say no, I mean its probably a bad idea…” said Duo.

“I think we should accept” said Heero feeling his heart pounding. He liked kids, but he was never close enough to really know them.

Duo frowned, he was probably hoping Heero said no straight out.

“Heero, we don’t know anything about kids. We are barely adults ourselves.”

“We never were kids to begin with…”

“That may be true, but the fact is that we are a couple of idiots; A child needs taking care of and soft hands. We are experts blowing things up, not caring for them”

“Its just a child, what could possibly go wrong?”

Duo snorted and said “You have no idea what children are like, specially coming from a guy who never got to be a kid. I on the other hand know for a fact that they are loud, dirty, bratty, selfish mother fuckers. People who has them got the right character to endure it. Im not so sure you can.”

Heero looked affronted.

“I just cant picture you and your anal retentive daily routine interrupted. You’re OCD and the way you take control over things. It’s been years Heero, and your bed is still military grade. I certainly won’t be responsible for something like that on my own. It needs at least two people, one hell of a team. But you and me….”said Duo shrugging.

Heero grunted annoyed. Its not like they were a bad team, the total opposite, they were perfect at their jobs. The most successful team with the highest rate of accomplishment. They lived together and while it was true that Heero had his quirks and his preference for perfection. They didn’t have any trouble sharing.

“What has that anything to do with this?” he asked. “That actually makes me better qualified for the job”

“Well first of, it’s a human kid we are talking about. Not some mission. Second of, the agency kind of assumed we are together because of the civil thing we did. They must be thinking we are a fully functional couple.” 

“According to my shrink I am fully functional” said Heero frowning. “And so is our relationship”

Duo reclined on his chair with a heavy feeling.

They weren’t married per se. But when they began working with preventers they signed a civil partnership that gave rights to each other in emergencies and medical decisions. They were orphans, they got no one else besides each other. It seemed logic and easy to solve. But that was basically it. They didn’t have a romantic relationship between them or anybody else for the matter.  They were less than married but more than engaged. All without touching.

Sanq Law said that that kind of union was enough to apply for adoption and in this case also to take in and care of refuges underage. With so many children up for adoption the process was lax and easy. Almost any adult over the age of 20 could adopt a kid.

“It’s not forever you know” said Heero. “We aren’t adopting it for real, its just because the orphanage burn down. We are supposed to help”   

“I still think is too much responsibility for us.”

“You were an orphan weren’t you?, you were in an a orphanage”

“That’s low Heero….” Said Duo squinting. “Fine, you are a proper hero, you want to save people even when we go home, fine…” he smiled.

Heero felt satisfied with the outcome. He didn’t even know why he wanted that.

+2+

 

After work they went to the child services building in Sanq. A real monstrosity of agency. It was full of kids running around in every direction, screaming their little lungs out. The employers running around like headless chickens. The phones where ringing everywhere. Literally a battle scene.

Duo was already regretting this decision. But when they saw the news of the fire, he was more sympathetic. There were lots of children’s that needed where to stay on so short notice that it was an actual emergency on Zanq. It was the least they could do.

“May I help you?” asked a bald man with a big mustache on the reception desk.

“Yeah I am Duo Maxwell, they called me for the foster thing”

“Yes, come with me, I’m going to assign you a case”

They followed a man to a desk full of files, so much paper scattered around. This mess probably got them unprepared.

“Yes this are the files you were assigned”

“How many files?” asked Duo feeling panic.

“Three of them…” nodded the man.

“Wait….wait…, they never said we had to take that many” Said Duo frowning. “That’s too many”

“Mister Maxwell, it’s an emergency, its six o clock, only half of the children have been positioned on foster homes. We are begging you!—if volunteers don’t take the 80% of the cases at the end of day, we’ll be over populated on the refuge center. We are looking for places for the younger ones. I’m sure you understand that they need proper homes and proper care.”

Heero’s hand clenched on his shoulder with assurance. Duo sighed.

“Yeah….I get it…”

“Here are the files” said the man with a triumph smile. “Obviously I can’t give it to you. But you may read it here. Any doubt you have please ask me”

They sat to read the case files while the man went to help to the front desk again.

The first file was about a boy of nine years old named Charles. He was an orphan from the war. His father was an alliance soldier who died in Africa. His mother a civilian killed during the Traize upraising in the cross fire on their home town on Spain. He lived with his grandfather for a while, but the man had died recently, he was shipped to Sanq.

Vera was a child of six years old from L2-E190, she needed special care. She was considered by Sanq Psychiatrists as a Feral Child. She was taken from the streets in deplorable health and filthiness. She couldn’t talk or interact normally. And had a difficult time adjusting. They knew nothing of his past.

Finally Dave. A babe of six months that accordingly to the file was the only child of a teenager who died at childbirth that didn’t gave a father’s name. There were no other family members and possibly she was an orphan herself.

 Heero smiled at the pictures in the files, they were cute kids on their own way. But Duo was not smiling at all. When the man returned Duo promptly asked. “What kind of special care does Vera need?”

“She’s been improving with the help she gets in Sanq Psychiatrist Hospital. She’s learned to go the toilet on her own, she eats mostly what you serve her and even uses the cutlery. But she’s impulsive and prone to wandering thoughts, she’s hardly a problem, I assure you”

“I don’t know, seems complicated, to be frank I was expecting older children” Said Duo frowning again. “I mean the baby is a problem. We don’t know who to care for kids less so a baby”

“Oh don’t worry. Dave is such a calm baby, he sleeps all night. You won’t even notice”

Heero felt and saw Duos hesitation so he promptly said “They came with instruction manual?”

Duo and the man looked at Heero as if he had another head. Then the braided man laughed with such a deep and merry mirth. The bald man looked confused but said anyway. “Well if you want I have Dr. Spocks book here, you can take that”

“I didn’t know Mr. Nimoy wrote a book about babies….”

Duo laughed harder than before. Heero was such a nerd!!.  When he calmed down he said. “Fine, fine, well take care of the three kids!”

They waited a bit for another social worker with the kids. Charles had brown hair with bright green eyes. Vera was blond and had her hair in disarray with baby blue eyes. And Dave who had his hand on his mouth and was a brown haired brown eyed baby.

Duo took the baby immediately from the social worker, and they were told to wait alone with the kids because the two workers were going for the luggage. Duo suspected it was more an intended bonding moment for them.

“Hello” said Duo adjusting the baby in his arms. “Charles, Vera, I am Duo. This is Heero!”

“Hnm” said Heero with an excited nod.

“You are going to live with us for a while” said Duo.

Vera looked confused, then finally lost her sight on the celling fan. Heero took her delicate hand and she looked puzzled at him. She seemed more and more unsettled. But Heero just did one of his long stares at her until the kid just climbed his legs and sat on his lap and hugged his neck as if they knew each other.

“What the…” said Duo surprised. Heero looked calm and satisfied. As if he was making the point that he could do the parenting thing just fine. “So, Charles are you hungry?, its almost dinner time. We can go to grab something to eat after we go”

“Yes” said the kid with a small smile. He was quiet.

They were finally given the luggage and seemed like a lot for such a small time. They signed some papers, they were given the book, a few pages of instructions about schedules and appointments and other school related things. A baby seat and a firm goodbye and send them in their merry way.  Heero assembled the car seat like a pro, like he did this all the time and had it installed on the SUV in record time. Promptly they were riding the most awkward car ride ever. The kids were obviously distressed with the whole ordeal. And Heero was his usual quiet self. The baby was just babbling and Duo was looking at each occupant waiting patiently to break the ice and not knowing how. “Why so many bags?” he asked.  Charles frowned. “Its clothes they found on the salvation army, ours were burned…”  Duo scowled appealed. Heero gave him a look that said ‘seriously you asked that?’ In that moment Vera pushed the button of the window down, and Dave got a mouthful of crisp wind and gurgled unhappy. Duo pushed the button on his side of the door to close it. But she did it again and soon they were fighting from their seats and the window went up and down.  “Vera honey, don’t do that, it’s not safe, don’t do it. No, Stop. Darling stop doing that!”  

“Duo” said Heero looking from the driver’s seat. “Just put the lock”

“Stop!!” exclaimed Duo.

“The lock!” said Heero.

Finally the startled child stopped pushing the button. Not even ten minutes and they were already losing their cool.

Heero felt the tension in the air. The kids quiet as tombs, Duo almost fuming. So he decided to make small talk. “We have to take them to school tomorrow.”

“They go the same school?”

“Yes it’s a school for children in need of pedagogic and psychological help.”

“Oh yes!, I heard about that….” Said Duo. “Relena did make the effort to help the next generation in getting better after what happed”

“You mean the war?” asked Heero making a turn on the street.

“Don’t say that word…” said Duo looking in the mirror at the kids but they weren’t paying much attention anymore.

“That does not make much sense” said Heero frowning. “We all know what happened, we live shaped for that. It’s a part of who we are”

“Just because our lives were ruined” said Duo with a softer voice. “Does not mean, this children cannot begin anew. They can forget, they are young”

Heero shrugged. He thought that the past was giving them the strength to live, to keep fighting the fair and honorable battle. To forget was simply ignoring the troubles until they exploded on their faces again. If people weren’t scarred, wars surely would unleash again in the future. Traize and Zech made a point of that.

And in a certain sense, it was what was happening already as the years went past. The new recruits had vaguer and vaguer memories of the war, that make them less committed to a cause of peace they gave for granted.

That children forgot and erased this from their personal histories just keep erasing the trauma, the violence and the suffering they went tru. And the clear need to stopping from happening again.

But Heero didn’t said anything about that because it seemed futile to fight in front of some scared children they just met. What kind of impression were they giving?.

Finally he parked the suv on the lot of the restaurant where they usually ate. The beer was good, the food was better, and it was kind of a family business at day. But after nine it was like any other quiet pub. They came here on weekends and stayed so late that the music was animated and the chorus of people drinking became normal.

Duo decided to take Dave. “Damn, not even our seatbelts on the gundams were this complicated”

Heero took the other two kids by the hands and help them cross the parking lot to the entrance. And for their first day in their life’s they asked to be given a table with a baby seat. Obviously on the no smoking area where most families were seated and they never took one before.

“Is THAT your kid Duo?” asked a familiar girl when she came with the seat.

“Ohhh no, no, no. Its just rented” he said with a smile. “We are taking them temporarily”

“They are adorableee” she said. “Can I get you the usual?”

“Yep, the usual is fine for us Darla” nodded Duo, then looked pensive to the kids. “What do you want Charles?”

“Burger with fries…” said the kid with a small smile.

“Do you want a milkshake with that darling?” asked Darla

“Yes please”

“Sure thingy handsome”

“Hey!” said Duo. “I am the handsome one!”

“Not anymore, and what about this darling girl!”

“I haven’t idea” said Duo baffled.

“She can eat Spaghetti!” Suggested the waitress.

“Yeah I suppose she can, right?!” Then Duo looked at the baby. “What about this one, what’s he supposed to eat?”

“There’s baby food on the diaper bag, for today and for tomorrow” said Heero.

“And you are telling me now?” asked Duo frowning.

The braided man passed the baby and went to the car for the diaper bag. Meanwhile Charles looked at him with a serious expression.

“Is he your husband?”

“Not really” said Heero with sincerity.

“Aren’t they supposed to send us to married couples?”

“Not in today’s law. And we have a civil union.”

“What’s that?” asked the kid with interest.

“It means we take care of each other…”

That seemed to startle the boy because he looked really unsettled, maybe it was the first time he heard an statement like that from a grown up.  Maybe he should say something along the lines that they were going to protect them too. But Duo was approaching the table again and the kid decided to change the topic.

“Why is his hair that long?” asked Charles “He looks like a girl”

Duo heard the last part and smirked. “Ohh yeah?, I think you are mistaken boy, look at my guns!” said the idiot flexing his arms and showing his muscles. “I’m the manliest!, I aint a fair maiden, you should see me in a fight before judging me”

“Its true” said Heero nodding. “We are Preventers agents”

“What?” asked the kid surprised “Two scrawny guys like you!, no way!, Preventers are the toughest men in the world, I want to be one someday!”

“Maybe by the time you grown up they won’t be needed anymore” said Duo settling the bag on the table and looking at the content for the baby food. When he found it he showed it to Dave. “What do you want Salmon, or beef?”

“Da” said Dave with a smile.

“Great choice!”

“I think you need this” said Heero taking a bib from the bag and putting it around the baby.

“Thanks buddy” said Duo with a smile. “You know, we are totally winning at the parenting thingy after all, I mean this is easy”

Heero wasn’t that sure about that, but he didn’t want to disagree with Duo. Together and kind of clumsily they fed the baby. When they finished, the food they ordered came.

“Dig in kids!” said Duo with a smile.

“We aren’t going to say grace?” asked Charles.

“Oh, erm” said Duo, “You do that in Sisters Helen Orphanage right?”

The boy nodded. “Father John said it was something we should be always grateful for”

“Totally, I mean when I was a kid I didn’t know when my next meal would come from” said Duo. A fond smile graced his face. “Father Maxwell said the very same to me, who should said it then?”

“Him” said Charles pointing at Heero.

“Its best if Duo does it, I don’t really know how” he admitted. “I was not religious growing up”

“Nonsenses, its easy, you just say how graceful you are about the meal”

Heero looked distressed. Duo smiled encouraging.

“Fine….” He said frowning. He put his hands in prayer like he’s seen on movies and said. “God we are grateful for this meal and we thank you for it.”  He pointedly looked at them.

“Amen” said Duo and the kid. “That could improve but you did great buddy, Vera honey….”

The girl was just looking empty at the celling, like the lights were fascinating. Duo pointed to the plate in front of her. She looked hungrily at the food but was kind of expecting some cue.

Duo made the motion to eat it up and the child grunted in acceptance and began digging his pasta with her hand.

“Oh no!, use the fork princess!!”

It was it seemed a lost cause because the kid got really into it.

“They never did tell us how to communicate with her…” said Duo frowning at the mess she was doing.

Heero took her hand mid motion to her mouth and stared at her for a few moments before presenting her with the fork. He grunted once and the stunned kid stopped what she was doing and actually took the fork.

“H-how do you do that?” asked Duo amazed.

The Asian shrugged. “I just show her”

“What?” asked Duo with disbelief. “Is this the kind of thing Trowa does with lions and shit?”

“You said SHIT!” screamed Charles with a big smile. Heero looked exasperated at Duo.

“Oh shit!, I mean Potty, don’t repeat anything I say!, Oh fu.. I mean, Oh dear!, I’ll try not to curse Heero”

“Try harder…” he said frowning.

“Totally!”

After that they kind of fell into their meals in quiet silence. Dave eventually began to grumpily cry to be taken out of the baby seat and ended on Duo’s arms sleep. He ate with a one hand.

When they finished and rushed the kids to the suv, it was already dark and past the established bed time of the kids. Vera also feel sleep on the way home. When the lights hinted the house Charles whistled low.

“Is that your house?” he asked with a big smile.

“Yes it is” said Duo proudly.

“Why is it so big?”

“Because we are handsomely paid for risking our lives” said Duo unbuckling his seatbelt. Heero snorted.

“And only you two live there?”

“Yes”

“But why so big?”

“Just for noisy kids to ask again and again” said Duo with a smirk.

Charles pouted.

“Come on” said Duo taking the sleeping baby out of the seat. Heero went on the other side to take care of the little girl on his arms. Together they entered tru the garage they just parked in.

The house was cold and quiet and totally dark and Charles followed them nervous until they got the lights on.

“You must be rich” said the kid with wonderment in his eyes. Longingly looking at the gaming consoles in front of a big flat screen on the living room.

“We do all right…”

The truth was that Preventers did paid them handsomely for their services, along with the pension Relena got the ESUN to pay them. The house and the Suv was also half paid by Preventers bonus checks and x-mas payments. Also the reality that they were just the two of them for a long time, and they were accustomed to live humbly in their expenses. I didn’t hurt either that Heero did their accounting and savings.

The five bedroom house was just some place they picked thinking the other gundam pilots could also enjoy if they paid a visit. A for a long time after the war they spend a lot of time with their friends in the house.

They took the kids upstairs and settle Vera In one of the bedrooms bed and Charles in another.

“This will be your room, so keep it clean…” said Heero with a glare.

“Yes sir…” said the kid scared.

“If you need anything will be down the hall, just knock.” Said Duo with a smile. “There’s a clean toothbrush in the bathroom”

“A bathroom all for myself?” asked the kid with wonderment.

“Yes, but also keep it clean” said Heero.

“Stop freighting the kid Heero, we don’t do the cleaning ourselves” 

“Try to explain that to the cleaning lady” said Heero frowning. She was a stern woman who always complained about them even if Heero cleaned his own bedroom.

“Never mind that, as I keep telling you, its her job to do it, we paid her to do it. You are just some compulsive ass that has to have his own room spotless”

Duo got a glare for that.

“Good night kid…”

“Nite” said the kid happily.

“About this one..” said Duo leaving the room with the baby on his arms. “Its best if he just sleeps with me on my bed. Its not safe to leave a baby unattended.”

“You aren’t going to crush him, right?”

“Of course not” said Duo indignantly. “I’m much of a light sleeper as you are. You know that”

Heero grunted. “fine”

“Good night Heero” said Duo with a smile and entering his own room. Heero quietly looked down the hall. Somehow the house didn’t feel as empty as before. Knowing there were little people actually living there. He smiled and entered his own room.

 

 

+3+

 

 

**2:30 AM.**

“This…was…a….mistake…” mumbled Duo.

Heero picket his eye socket with mild irritation.

Dave was screaming his lungs out for the past hour. It was so loud and so annoying. And they had no idea why the baby was like this. They had tried everything. They prepared him a bottle as best as they could, they changed his diaper, and they even tried to sign to him back to sleep.

But eventually, the noise was enough that Vera came running awake and was just jumping on the king size bed for the past 30 minutes. Heero tried to taker her back to her room but failed miserably. They ended defeated on the bed, just kind of enduring the racket and the commotion without knowing what to do.

“I don’t know what we were thinking…” said Duo frowning. “I did tell you this was a bad idea, didn’t I?, but NO!, you wanted to help the little cute orphans!”

Heero glared at him.

“Don’t give that look….” Said Duo smiling. “I fucking told you”

The Asian man just deflated more over the bed they were sharing.

“Heero I have to get up in two hours to go to the case, Jenkins got the search warrant and they will pick me up in two fucking hours, If I don’t sleep how do you expect me to function?.”

But Heero truly was at loss.

And the baby went on and on for one hour more. Eventually Vera also fell asleep. But they were long gone to see it. They were tired out.


	2. Heero's parenting time

 

Chapter TWO. 

 

Heero awoke suddenly, and for a long second he thought it still was two am, as it was still dark outside. Two children were asleep on the middle of the bed. Peaceful and quiet. Like they were like that all the time.

The light from the bathroom was on, and Duo emerged with a clean uniform and the smell of shampoo and soap. The steam following from the door, he had his hair down. He sat quietly at the foot of the bed and put his socks on.

“Shit, you are awake aren’t you?” he mumbled. “Didn’t mean to wake you…”

“Its fine..” he said.

“We barely sleep, but luckily Jenkins is late as usual…”

Heero grunted and pulled the duvet over himself again.

“It’s been a while since we shared a bed, he?” asked Duo looking at him with a smile. “You still are such a light sleeper. I’m sure I didn’t make any noise”.

 Heero snorted amused. “You have grown to have big feet”

“I did not!” complained Duo frowning. “I’m still graceful as a gazelle”

“You gonna wake them up” Heero complained lazily.

“Oh right sorry!” said Duo in a lower tone. “They do look cute when they sleep”

“umn”

Duo then began to brush his hair in front of his dresser. It was such a mundane and domestic thing watching him braid his own hair. But somehow Heero felt his hearth fill with warm.

“I hope you can manage today, I don’t really know when I’ll be free, am not sure if I’ll see you at the office or if am coming home later than you.” Duo paused what was he doing and Heero squinted at him on the low lights of the bedroom. “You will be fine, right?”

“Easy” he confirmed. “Just drop the kids, go to work, pick the kids, drop them off on their afternoon activities. Pick them up again, make dinner, it sounds like an easy mission”

Duo finished what he was doing and came close to the bed. “Don’t lose control, be cool, it’s just kids”

“Duo, I know…” he said with a small smile.

“I’m just….” He said waving a hand around. Outside a car honked. “Never mind, that’s my ride. See ya later Heero, go back to sleep while you still can…”

“Sure….” He was already drifting back to sleep with the rich smell of Duo on the sheets.

+2+

Next time Heero awoke was to the sound of baby walling bloody murder. He picket the boy in his arms and hurriedly went to the kitchen to make the bottle. It was easy as they had specific instructions about it on one whole page about Dave’s needs.

They were given a whole can of powdered milk and the little spoon to measure it. They had five clean bottles, and he decided to worry later about the cleaning process that was meticulously described on the pages.

With one armful of baby, and the other clear to make breakfast he decided to make them a nutritious meal. Egg and beacon and orange juice—store brought for the mean time. Two glasses of milk and a muffin each that Duo always insisting on eating.

He went upstairs and used his drill whistle. There was a heavy thump on the bedrooms and both kids came out screaming out of their doors.

“What was that?!” asked Charles looking truly alarmed. “Is it another fire?”

“It’s time to have breakfast” he said. “Please change your clothes, put your uniform on and come downstairs.”

The kid frowned, but did what was told. Vera on the other hand looked puzzled at him. He sighed, she was probably requesting help. He took her hand and led her to her bedroom where he looked at the contents of the suit case until he found her little uniform. She seemed to understand that a least. And changed herself.

Dave finished his bottle and settle on his arms to sleep. He grunted annoyed. Sure he could go back to sleep, the little demon.

“Do you have your homework?”

“Yes I did it on the social services, Miss Fergus help me out….”

“At what time do you require assistance with it?”

“I usually do it on the after class course. I do it on my own, but if I need help I’ll tell you”

“That is satisfactory” He left the kids eating on the table while he went to recover the mornings paper. He read and had his own breakfast, one handed of course. He needed a solution to this problem, but he kind of remembered there was a kind of contraption on Dave’s diaper bag.

Vera pushed over her glass of milk and sadly looked at it while it spilled. She was about to cry. But he quickly cleaned the mess and help her to a second glass that she took very good care of.

After that he was in a dilemma, he wanted to take a shower, but leaving Dave was a risk. On the other hand the baby was sound sleep, he was sure he could be fine for a few minutes while he took his morning shower. So he let the other two kids watch morning cartoons while he went upstairs and build a fort of pillows on Duos bed. He decided for practical reason to shower on his bathroom.

He did everything as fast as possible and when he came out the baby was still sound sleep.  He prepared the school bags and they were out of the door by seven. Just about enough time to drop the older kids at school. And be on time to his own job at the office.

If security watched him odd with a baby on his chest on the carrie baby. No one said it so to his face.  He was mostly reading old reports from his rookies and playing in the carpeted floor with Dave. Duos stress ball moving in his little hands. When Wufei came in.

“Is…that a baby?” he asked surprised.

“Yes…” he said.

“Why is there a baby on the floor of your office?”

“He’s playing…”

Wufei frowned. “What I meant is why the hell do you have a baby with you?”

“He’s rented…” he said with a straight face. “We decided to rent kids for the weekend’s party…”

“Quatre’s thing this Saturday?” asked Wufei with a scoff. “Come off it. You can’t just rent babies”

“Sure we can…” he said death serious.

“Yuy, you have a twisted sense of humor”

Heero smirked. “It’s because of the fire of the Orphanage”

“Ahh, yes…, you idiots helping out?”

“Yes…”

“That’s actually very mature of you two…” said Wufei frowning. “But are you sure you are kind of ready for that kind of thing?”

“We are doing okay…” he confirmed.

“Well mostly, because you are an idiot.” Said Wufei with a scoff. “Don’t you know there’s a day care on the first floor of the building?”

“There is?” asked Heero picking the baby from the floor.

“Obviously, where do you think we let Mei while Sally and I work?”

“I don’t know…” he frowned. “At home?”

“You stupid mother fucker”

Heero actually looked ashamed. “How was I supposed to know that?” he asked.

“Come on, Ill walk you there….”

Heero picked the diaper bag on his shoulder and followed his friend. “And I just let him there?”

“Yes, it’s a daycare for employees, you just show your badge and that’s all.”

“We actually work for one hell of a company”

“It is well managed, we get lots of stuff”

 “I never paid any attention besides the health stuff and the money stuff”

“Well I’m sure taking care of injured Maxwell is the same as taking care of a baby, he?”

“He’s not like that…”

“The fuck he is…” said Wufei with a laugh. “He was a cry baby about his leg injury”

“You were the same when they shot you on the stomach”

“Fuck man, I was plenty scared of dying right there without getting to know my daughter, I said that’s a rational fear”

Heero frowned. “We don’t want to die either”

“You could have me fooled” said Wufei looking at the baby. “A the rate you guys were going and putting in greater risk each time, it seemed pretty suicidal of you two. At least the leg injury has got you grounded for months now. And it is a relief”

“Shut up Wufei, you aren’t my boss” said Heero affronted. “It’s ok if Trowa leaved Preventers for his long coming wedding and successful domestic life. And it is ok if you married too, but that’s not us, you know?. We….we….can still put out best abilities in the field, its best in what we are at and we are fine that way”

“Just saying bro, we care for you two…” Wufei stopped in the middle of the corridor they were following, it was a place where Heero was never before. And right there the Daycare with sunny suns and flowers painted on the walls tru the crystal barrier. Inside looked like the place was just any normal facility for kids. It had a reception.

“Agent Chang” said the girl, she was a in a sort of brighter version of the olive green uniform.

“We come to let another one for you”

“The more the merrier Agent. Miss Claude will take him. What is he, six months?”

Heero nodded. She asked for his badge and then she put an identification bracelet on the baby.

“You see mister Yuy, this security system will blast an Alarm if the Child leaves the perimeter, it will send a notification directly to your computer and will ring on your cellphone too. Only when you retrieve the child and we put the bracelet off, you can take him home. We want to remember you that this is the soundest structural point in the building and in an event of attack will automatic be able to shut its windows and doors. It gets life support system and it is the safest point to be. Our daycare miss are highly trained in combat. So your child will be protected. Welcome to the day care System”

“That actually does put me at better ease” he responded. “See you later Dave….”

The baby babbled his goodbye and they went back from they were coming from in the first place.

“So what do you wanted when you come into my office?” asked Heero

“Oh nothing really, just to let you know I might take Da Silva into a team for my next case. We may need his expertise in infiltration. He’s the best at it, Barton got him really well trained and I still think it’s unfair that you took him on your team after he left”

“You can have him, I’m not doing anything at the moment, just building a case against Marcus Weller. But it is still very early on”

“Where’s Maxwell by the way?”

“Bust drug operation”

“I heard he has problems with his agents”

“Mostly that Jenkins jerk”

“That’s funny, because he remains me a lot of Maxwell. Who knows, maybe the kid will know some Yuy  that shreds light and order into his life, just like you did with your good influence over our friend.”

“That’s not true, Duo was a great agent even before. People thinks of him like he was some kind of wild horse that I broke. But I did nothing of the sort. He was always reasonable and trust worthy and with a great level of responsibility. He matured into a great Agent on his own. Nothing that good can be said about Jenkins”

 “Well if it is a problem, you could just send the kid back to training again.”

“I keep telling Duo that”

They were back at the offices floors. Heero decided that he needed some strong coffee, he went to the kitchenette.

“I got back at you about Da Silva, see you later Yuy”

“Umn” nodded Heero.

The rest of his day went so normal that he almost felt bored without Duos strong voice breaking the silence. At noon he went for the kids to the school and drive them to the after class courses. He asked them if they had lunch, they did. He asked them if they were going to eat anything in the courses. Charles said they did. He went back to his job to work another four hours until five.

He was supposed to leave at six, but many people left early when they weren’t on a time sensitive case, because really they pulled so many long extra hours sometimes that it kind of balanced the whole thing. He picked the kids who looked tired as he felt.

Vera was in good spirits thou, she was kind a blabbing a song or something. She couldn’t actually speak but she mimic the sounds of words. Dave was kind of just gurgling along. Heero looked at Charles who was the quiet one.

“You had a great day?” he asked awkward.

“At least I’m not living on a gym”

“Why?” he asked.

“The older kids, they went to a gym. My friend Frank told me. I got it better I think even if it’s just for a while….” Said the kid with such a sadness that Heero felt his heart pang.

“It seems like the portion of the Orphanage that burn down was pretty big…” he said casually. “How many kids lived there?”

“Lots…and lots…, we have rooms full of beds.”

“How many get adopted?”

“Not that many” said the kid with a scoff. “Who would want damaged kids?”

Heero frowned. This was getting really emotional for his taste. “Damaged?”

“The full wing was for kids that go to therapy or have special needs”

“There’s nothing wrong with therapy” he said feeling cold inside. “Duo and I go to therapy too.”

The kids eyes lighted up. “Seriously?”

“Yes..” he said.

“Why?”

The ‘because we are fucked up’ was at the tip of his tongue. But that sounded more like something Duo would say about it.

“We were soldiers…”

“What?, For real?” asked the kid. “My father was a soldier too. But I don’t remember him that good”

“Many good people fighted on the Wars.”

“But they got killed anyway, at least my father was on the bad side”

“There are not good or bad sides…” he said with a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach and with the throat constricted. Duo would probably kill him if he knew he was talking about this with the kid. He was pretty clear on his view about it.

“But then why they did get killed?”

“That’s life for you…I don’t know why I made it, I don’t know why I am still here and other good people aren’t. But that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve what I got. It’s just the way things are…”

 “So you just got the big house, the boyfriend and the fancy job?, While I got to be alone in some dank building until I am eighteen”

“That’s not true. Relena Darlian is doing lots of great things for orphaned children. It may not be ideal I know. But you got a bed, food, and go to normal school. You get to play, you get to make friends and not worry about death…”

The kid frowned again. “You didn’t get that?”

Heero let out a snort. “Not at all.” He didn’t know if he could actually admit it to the kid. But he felt he needed to make his point about it. “At your age I was already fighting in the war. And for a long while I was doing it on my own”

“You…are an Orphan too?”

“Hnm” He nodded. “Duo too”

That seemed to put the kid in deep thought because he didn’t said anything more. He was grateful because he felt emotionally compromised. He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. He felt his shoulders tense, he felt angry and confused and kind of wanted to climb to bed and sleep forever.

But that wouldn’t do, because Vera screamed happily at the cars, and Dave’s “Da, da, da, da, da” was in the background noise. The kids would be requiring dinner soon. He should focus about it.

When they got home, he let the kids watch cartoons on the Tv while he made dinner. He did mashed potatoes with gravy and stake with peas. Duos favorite. They dined without the braided man. Charles gave grace.

At seven he began to worry that something had gone wrong with Duo’s bust. But he didn’t call to the office to check yet. The kids keep watching the tv another hour while he read Dr.Spock’s book.

That’s how Duo found them in the living room. “Honey!, I’m homeee!”

Heero sighted with relief. “Are you hungry?”

“I could eat a horse” said Duo taking out his jacket.

“How did it go?”

“I was so damn sure those were the real deal Heero.” He said. Heero almost gave his sympathies but Duo smiled. “You won’t believe it, but we found five whole damn tons of Carbutel”

Heero looked stunned. “That’s a lot….”

“Yeah!” smiled Duo. “Guess who is going to have a big fat check?. You know what Une told me?. Biggest bust in the last five years!”

“Congratulations Duo. And you were skeptic about the merits of the Narcotics track.”

“Well there’s is a certain pleasure in taking down terrorist, but this is just as damn sweet!, let me tell you!. Look at me, I’m shaking in adrenaline!”

“Calm down Superman” said Heero with a smile. The walked together to the kitchen where Heero began re heating dinner.

“How was your day?” asked Duo picking a pea from the pan. “You okay with the kids?”

“It went pretty normal for us. Nothing to report about it. No casualties”

“You should have been with me” said Duo.

“That would be a waste of personal. You got everything wrapped pretty tight. Besides, Une’s right. Two lieutenants on this small cases makes no sense”

“It wasn’t so small after all, he?”

“You still did it alone”

“Yeah, but is not the same. I like sharing the glory with you”

“Enjoy it, because you know I always make you look incompetent” Heero served the food on a plate and got a beer from the fridge. Then proceeded to put it on the table on the dining room.

Duo sat on his place with a smile. “I might receive a medal for this….Une said so herself…”

“That’s great…”

The braided man frowned. “What is it?”

“What?” asked Heero that had taken the book about parenting again.

“I know that look Yuy…..” Duo began digging his food with pleasure. “Something happened.”

“Well yes…” he said. “I found out we have a day care on the preventers building…”

“Oh shit, I thought you knew about that. Sally did told us about it when she went back to work after Mei”

“I guess I just deleted that useless bit of information…”

Duo laughed. “Silly man” He chewed for a while then said with conviction. “But that is not it, you were thinking about….you know…”

Heero tried not to show his surprise.

“You do always get that look…when you think about it. I can tell. We have been living together for a long while Yuy. You can’t fool me”

This was not going in the direction he wanted. Duo was so damn perceptive.

“Just for a bit. Got me thinking is all, eat your dinner Duo. It may get cold.”

“Yeah” said Duo with a sad smile. “You aren’t alone Buddy. I’m here with you”

“hnm” nodded Heero. And that was the end of that discussion thankfully.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Folks the real reason im writting this is because it got me thinking that most fans of GW are my age, thats 30 years old. Many have been parents for a long time, some like me havent really even started, but as I get older I get to think seriously about it. So the gundam pilots are around our age as well so I place this in a time in their lives where everything is changing some way into the family way. I get that this may not be your kind of thing because really some of you must hate it but oh well....like one person is reading this right?.


	3. Pizza and Arcades

 

Chapter THREE.

Heero let the kids and Duo watching the Tv a while longer. It was almost eight and that meant the mandatory curfew for everyone. At least he knew Duo wouldn’t object to it, because neither of them sleeps well the night before. They were to hit the hay hard.

But he still needed to cross reference some paper from work so he went into the study to work on his laptop. He was concentrated on that when little footsteps follow him.

Vera wandered into the room and her eyes lighted in delight. He cursed.

“I know what you are thinking…” he said with a serious tone. “But this are not toys…”

She hurried anyway to the shelf and took a box.

“No, that is not a toy for you!” he said indignantly. He stood up and went there and took the box from the kid. She wailed at the top of her lungs, she screamed so damn hard he actually wanted to put his hands over his ears.

Duo came with the rest of the kids to see what the commotion was about. He laughed when he saw what was happening. Charles went straight to the shelf too.

“Duo, this are not toys, and you know that!” he said pulling the boxes out of their hands.

“It seems like a doll to me…”

Heero glared in his direction. “They are not dolls, this are priced collectives”

“Don’t be such a nerd. They are toys meant for kids, and you know that”

“No, no, this is my collection and no one has permission to take it. They are mint in their boxes.”

“Come on dude, this are toys and this are kids. They are meant to be!”

“Why don’t you let them play with your video games?!” he asked taking box after box of the kid's hands.

“They are just as much yours as they are mine, and I totally will let them play them. Except for those meant to adults. Like Crisis Of Blood. Or Call of savages.”

“¡Well I insist this aren’t toys. And they will not play with them!” Heero said with a harsher tone.

The kids looked at him scared from his outburst.

“Well at least some of them are mine,” Duo said picking his from the shelf. Including a miniature Gundam Deathscythe. He gave that one to Vera. “Take this one darling. It’s the best one”

He gave them most of the cars and mobile suits.

Heero looked with neediness. “But those are part of a collection we share Duo, that’s not fair….”

“Never mind that Heero, we can buy them again if you like”

“But those are expensive!”

“Take this one’s,” he said to the kids and making them go to the living room. “All that other old crap is useless. No one knows what Star Trek is these days.” He was saying to them an assurance.

“What’s that?” asked Charles.

“Some old butt crack show Heero likes, it’s from before the colony and is boring as fuck”

Heero trembled on his place on the study. It wasn’t fair, he never had toys growing up; except an old wooden horse he keeps in his safe on his room. Those were a rare pleasure he allowed himself. One of the small things he did because he liked it and because it let him felt….full.

He put the boxes back on the shelves. He suddenly needed to call his shrink or a drink a least. He went to the kitchen to serve himself a glass of white wine he usually used for cooking. He felt shaken and uncomfortable while he nursed his drink.

The kids were happily playing with the toys Duo gave them. They looked so fucking happy and he denied that. He felt like an asshole.

With a strangled voice he said. “I’m sorry….”

“Its ok mister Heero, we can play with this ones and we won’t touch the other ones you like so much,” said Charles.

“Thank you….”

Duo snorted. “Calm yourself down Heero.”

“I am trying….”

“I warned you about it. You said you could be in control of your quirks…”

“And I can!” he said annoyed. “It’s just that….those are….”

“Never mind,” said Duo.

“Are you mad at me now?”

“I’m not mad, I am worried…” said Duo. “I don’t want you to lose control. You’ve done alright for the last six months…”

“I’m fine…” he grunted.

“I hope so”

Heero watched Dave playing with a miniature Taurus. He looked so utterly happy that his anger slowly but steadily diminished. After ten minutes of that, he felt better and calm. He sighed.

“Curfew time” he announced. Duo assented.

“I don’t know about you little fellows, but I am trashed. I want my warmly bed and my nice pillow under my head”

He took the kids upstairs with a hurried smile.

“It’s a nice night for jammies and toothbrushes!” he was saying to them.

Heero still felt like an asshole. But on the other hand, Duo couldn’t play nice hero after he went all day away, and he had to take care of them on his own. He followed Vera to her room and laid the pajamas  on the bed for her.

She changed quickly and then extended her arms to him. Heero took her to the bathroom and help her brush. She was so cute. He laid her on the bed. And brushed her tangled blond hair.

“You will take a shower tomorrow night, okay?” he asked her.

But she just smiled sweetly.

“Good night….” He told her and diminished the lights. He let her door open. He then went to check on the other kid that did everything on his own. Bigger kids were less trouble. He hadn’t had  idea why people preferred babies to adopt instead of older kids.

But then he tentatively went to check on Duo’s door and he was already on his jams on his side of the bed with a snuggled baby drinking from a bottle peaceful and he was brushing his brownish hair like a lullaby.

Duo saw him standing there on the door. And smiled.

“You know, you can spend the night here—I am not sure I can wake up once I sleep. He might cry during the night and I reckon you could wake up”

“Yeah, seems logical,” he said trying to act cool and don’t let Duo see how much he wanted to spend the night with him because it brings comfort and emotional security to him.

He went to his room to take care of his needs and came back to Duo’s room and snuggled just as much to the baby as Duo was doing. It was warm in so many senses. He wondered if it was like this when he was a baby and he still had a mother.

Luckily for them, Dave sleep all night.

 

 

+2+

 

There was a high pitched whistle tru the house. Duo’s hand went for a gun that wasn’t there and hasn’t been for many years now.

He looked startled around, but he was alone on the bed. “What the flying fuck…” he mumbled. Then the whistle rang again. “Fuck this, this is not an acceptable way to wake up”. He went into the hall was Heero was at parade rest with the fucking whistle on his mouth and a straddle baby on his chest.

“What the fuck?, Calm the fuck down Captain Von Fucking Trapp” Duo exclaimed annoyed.

Heero spat the whistle that falls close to Dave’s head. “I’m not familiar with an officer of that name”

“Are you for fucking real?” asked Duo angry. “What could possibly possess you to wake us up like this? Oh please tell me you didn’t do this to the children yesterday?”

“What’s wrong with it?” asked Heero. “I’ve found this to be an efficient way to wake up a company”

The children were now in the hall with them. Duo wanted to say fuck a million times more but he tried to keep it in as best as he could.

“Yeah for a company of freaking cadets of preventers! not children!”

“It is an efficient method as you can see” he pointed to the kids that were rubbing their little eyes. “Anyway, its time for breakfast.” He announced. “Please be ready to come down.” He then took the girl to her room to help her.

He was already showered and dressed for work. Duo mumbled curses to himself and went back to his room to shower and change himself.

Once downstairs, he was still mad at Heero. He pickets at his breakfast with more force than necessary.

“I was thinking…” Heero said with a tentative look his way. He scoffed. “Maybe we could take the kids shopping for clothes and toys more suitable for them. They could skip afternoon courses and we could take half of the day off.”

Duo fell his anger disappear. He was relenting. “Sure, no problem. I’m sure Jenkins could at least deal with the aftermath of the case, and as long as that girl Mendez is in charge, they don’t need me around.”

Duo around they had plenty of time to leave the house, drop the kids at school and get to their jobs on time. They left the baby on the daycare to the delight of Duo. --“This place is awesome, it’s like a bunker for babies”—

The morning went quiet, Duo writing his report of the operation and Heero still frustrated with the lack of leads to move forwards his own. Wufei interrupts them to take a break.

“I hear congratulations are in order Maxwell” he was saying while picking a sandwich from the basket.

“Who the hell told you?” asked Dou with a smile. “You always have fresh gossip”

“I’ve got my channels,” said Wufei. “But seriously, it was a pretty big hit, it almost seems like a bit of dumb luck”

Duo laughed. “Well, thanks, but it’s not like you are my boss or anything to review my work”

“When are you two going stop being so childish about that?. I was your fucking boss and it was my job to keep you from trouble” Said Wufei frowning.

“Maybe when you stop doing it altogether dude, were the same rank now!” complained Duo.

“Duo is very capable of doing a good investigation. I saw him work on it.” Heero stated.

Wufei snorted. “Looks like your knight in shining armor still believes blinding in you”. Duo laughed again.

“You are just messing with us because you are jealous I have an amazing partner” Duo went to serve two cups of coffee and passed one to Heero.

“So, how are you coping with the experimental parenting” asked Wufei between chewing his lunch.

“We are actually doing okay” smiled Duo. “We got three kids. Dave, Vera and Charly”

“Three?!, I thought it was just the baby. Heero didn’t tell me”

“You didn’t ask” answered Heero frowning.

“You could have volunteered the information,” said Wufei. “It’s a good thing what you two are doing. I wish I could help too. But I’m actually not very sure I could right now. Sally is having a hard time as it is. Medical is updating his database and I have a case right now. We can barely take care of our own”

“Yeah its hard…” said Duo. “I don’t think we could do this for reals”

Heero frowned. “We could be good parents”

“I’m not so sure” answered Duo. “We aren’t really affronting the real deal. It’s just temporary. We are having more of a Cool uncle experience. Where you know you will hand them over in the end.”

“Tell me about it. Sometimes I just can’t believe I am a father and everything that means” said Wufei frowning. “It’s scary to think this little person is looking up to me to survive and grow”

“Exactly,” said Duo smiling. “But we are rocking at it, just for the time being.”

Later when they left the office and were driving to pick up the kids from school, Heero tried again.

“You think we are screw-ups who can’t raise a child?”

“Yes,” said Duo.

Heero glared at him. The braided one laughed.

“I’m just being honest here. A child is nothing like a puppy. This shit is tough”

“It’s not that hard,” said Heero aloof. “Even Odin did it”

“What the hell man?!” exclaimed Duo angry. “That man, the idiot who taught you how to conceal a weapon and how to murder is your best example?”

“He taught me how to survive, it’s not that what Wufei said?”

“Dude, not literally.” He scoffed. “You can’t even call him daddy”

“Yes I did, I called him daddy many times”

“I bet it was because he told you to, but what did you call him when you were alone with him?”

Heero blushed. “I called him Odin because he knew I was mature and he trusted me”

“He treated you like an adult, not like you were his son”

“But still was my father, and he taught me the most important thing in my life”

“Yeah? what was it?. How to kill silently and efficiently?”

“No. He told me to live my life following my emotions”

Duo looked at him. “Now you think you are better than me because you got to know that asshole and he told you pretty words”

“Not any pretty words. It’s the reason I did what I did during the war. And it is the reason I am alive”

“Yeah, well. Maybe you will be a good father. I don’t know. I’m pretty sure I’ll suck at it big time. Because I didn’t get to be so lucky as you. I know shit of my parents…”

“I’m sorry,” said Heero with sincerity.

“Don’t bother. It doesn’t matter”

But it probably did matter. So Heero felt compelled to say. “I don’t think having had an example of parenting is what makes you good or bad. It’s the person you are and the choices you make. Not your past”

“Look, buddy, it’s everything; the past is what lead us here and we can’t ignore that. And I really don’t understand why you are trying to convince me otherwise”

They were quiet for a while, the two of them looking at the road and not really seeing anything. Finally, Duo pulled over at the school and watched the kids being led by a teacher to the car.

 She asked them if they were looking after the kids and if they were having any trouble. They said they were doing ok. She was probably just curious about them because they were still in Preventers uniform. She let help the kids get in the Suv and then said her goodbye.

“Are you ready for your fun day, kids?” asked Duo with a big smile while looking in the review mirror.

But the kids were just silently looking back.

“Please don’t be so excited, you could make me ram the car to that three,” he said with his sarcastic tone.

Heero looked at the back of the car, the baby was asleep, but the other two kids were quiet. “Did you have lunch?”

“Yes,” said Charles.

“Are you tired?” Heero continued with a peaceful tone.

“Umhu” Nodded the older kid.

“Aren’t kids supposed to have endless energy?” asked Duo frowning.

“They probably require nourishment, I believe that’s where they get their energy”

“That’s great because I know just the place”

 

+3+

 

The place was not crowded but was full of kids running around in the arcades and games, and there was music and weird animals signing in a corner.

Heero looked at Duo puzzled. The kids were surprised.

“I came here sometimes to play on the arcades…”

“When?” Heero asked still disoriented.

“Well, every time I say I need pace and quiet”

“This place isn’t quite” complained Heero.

“Geez, maybe I just want to be away from you…”

Heero flinched and realized that comment hurt, especially because they shared most things. To know that Duo keeps secrets away from him, kind of hurt his feelings, because he didn’t have anything to hide from his partner and friend.

It surely showed that on his face, because Duo slaps him on the shoulder.

“I know you don’t like crowded places and this one is usually packed, I don’t like to stress you out”

He nodded but still felt hurt about it. They went to order a pizza and tokens for the games and picket an empty table. Charles went on his own to games for older kids, and they sat on the floor of the toddler’s zone with Vera and Dave where they happily played with the toys.

They discovered that Dave was mobile own his own and he crawled around.

“Look at him, he moves fast,” said Duo, then looked at Vera who was playing with blocks and couldn’t fit them together. “Darling don’t do it like that, here let me show you”

“I don’t think she understands,” said Heero picking Dave and putting him again in the right track.

“I’m not expecting her to build me Gundam, I just think she can learn things”

“She knows to do most things on her own,” said Heero. “But I don’t think she gets this”

“Yes because someone teaches her the other stuff”

Vera grunted annoyed and took the pieces again and smashed them together but they still don’t stick together. Duo tried to show her how but she still didn’t get it and growled like an animal.

“It’s like this darling, just press them with this sides facing each other,” said Duo. “Don’t grunt at me, I know you can, and I know you somehow understand me, you aren’t retarded”

“But they did say she needs special attention,” said Heero frowning. “Is not that the same?”

“Of course not,” said Duo. “She’s like this because she had no one to teach her when she was a baby, and she didn’t get the proper stimulation, but she’s young, she can get better…”

“How do you know she’s not going to be like this her whole life?”

Duo exhaled. “When I was young, and I say this because Solo told me. I was like that.”

Heero frowned. “You didn’t know how to talk?”

“No,” said Duo smiling. “But I think I did understand the language, I just didn’t know how to talk back. I didn’t know a lot of things, but I had a great teacher”

“Another kid” pointed out Heero.

“Yes, there was no one else. No fancy shrink, no pedagogics, none of that fancy stuff those kids get from Relena”

“But this may be different, she’s probably older than you when Solo found you”

“That’s true, but she’s getting the best care, I see that as an advantage”

“So you think she can grow to be a functioning adult”

“Well, she’s a little behind than most kids, but she can be if she continues to have this attention”

“But she only gets this care from school,” said Heero frowning. “I doubt the Orphanage can give her that much attention.”

Duo frowned too and bit his lip. “Yes, that’s true. But if she is adopted maybe her parent will give her the proper care”

“If…” said Heero.

“Shit Heero. Now I am sad, there’s just a lot of children in need, I honestly wish I could help, but there’s little we can do. There must be people willing to take care of them…”

“We could…” said Heero casually.

Duo laughed. “We most certainly cant.”

“Yes, we cou—“

“No,” said Duo frowning. “And don’t start thinking stupid things.”

Heero wanted to press the issue but the waiter called them to their table because their pizza was ready.

+4+

 

After eating they went to the stores in the shopping mall basically choosing clothes and shoes with the help of assistants. It was not an easy task to buy for two kids and a baby, especially because the baby store had lots and lots of things the assistant said they needed and they didn’t have. It was mad how many bags they were carrying.

They were walking to the supermarket to fill the pantry when Vera began to dance around and howl like a puppy.

“She wants to go to the bathroom,” said Charles eyeing the other kid.

“Yeah?.” Asked Duo frowning. “How can you tell?”

“I’ve seen her do that before” answered the kid.

“Well, Dave needs a diaper change, so it’s better if we all go”

“To the gents?” asked Heero.

“It’s a shopping mall, it probably has a changing table in the gents…”

They walked into the room and sure enough, there was the special changing station.

“Aha!, see, I told you this places had those sort of things. You go to the stall and close the door darling.”

Vera went and did as she was told. Charles also went into a stall and the two of them began to change Dave.

“You never said where did you learn to change a diaper…” commented Heero.

“Ahhh” smiled Duo. “That was Sister Helen doing. At the orphanage, I helped her with the babies that came. They usually didn’t stay around very much because many rich people from L1 went to L2 for a baby.” A sad look crossed his face. “I can see the appeal of a nice clean slate to rise as your own”

“You seem to know a lot about kids too”

“Yes, Solo and I took care of many street children before the…you know…the sickness struck.”

“Umm” nodded Heero.

“And you?” asked Duo when he finished with the dirty diaper. “How do you learned to change a diaper?”

“Yesterday when I was alone with Dave” said Heero frowning. “Looked for instructions on the internet”

Duo laughed. “But you saw me do it the day before”

“My first attempt on my own didn’t go well”

“I’m so sorry Heero” said the braided man while still laughing.

“Its fine, I can get better with practice”

“Kids wash your hands!” Duo exclaimed to the kids that were done with their business.

After that, they did their groceries in relative calm and when they went back home, the kids were sleeping in the car.

“If you were around so many kids before, why don’t you like them now?” asked Heero curious.

“I like them, that’s not the problem.” Said Duo looking at him a second before returning his eyes to the road. “They are adorable and soft and funny. It’s easy to love them. But also very delicate beings. Do something wrong and they end up dying in your arms.”

Heero looked behind him and sure the kids were sleep. “That was before Duo. Kids don’t drop dead at times like this”

“Yeah?” asked Duo with a morbid smile. “I bet that’s what the parents of all those who die before thought. And I can’t just tell you how many I personally saw die!”

“We fought and won a war just to stop that, we put our own lives on the front”

“Yes but we still live in a kind of dream, any given moment some shit is going down and then what?”

“Are you telling me you don’t believe in the peace we achieved?”

Duo exhaled. “Man, I want to believe. I really do. But then even if a war doesn’t start again, what about our own personal lives?. If you think about it, we are still fighting to keep lots of shits from exploding in Relena’s face. When I think about our future I….”

Heero waited patiently for Duo to finish that sentence. He thought they were doing okay with the darkness inside of them. But Wufei’s words rang in his head. Maybe they were going too fast to nowhere. To keep fighting and fighting until they dropped dead themselves.

“I don’t know, are you trying to tell me you want to meet some girl and fall in love and then get your own kids and settle down and have a happy ending?” asked Duo. “Because I honestly don’t see myself doing that. I want to be ready for anything. I know domestic shit is the weakness of any soldier. You can’t lose anything if you don’t have anything, I am right?”

Heero nodded and then reclined his head on the seat and pondered about it.

“Look at Wufei, he’s never going to be the same man we meet in the war. He’s got something to lose, he’s gonna doubt and fear and be everything he denied. He’s weak now, and I just don’t have the energy to begin to talk about Trowa and Quatre”

“I…I guess you are right” stammered Heero. But personally still thought there was an emptiness in their lives. Something was missing.

 When they got home they awoke the kids to a light dinner and then make them took a bath. Vera and Dave shared the tub in Duo’s room and played with their new toys for a bit. It was a bit awkward but everyone did fine and then carried them to their beds and fall asleep almost instantly. After that, they sat quietly in the living room watching the news on low volume. It seemed a peaceful night, but it ended up being the total opposite.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yeaah, Im a big softy, I need fluff, and this fandom is hard on the boys, so I decided to write my own


End file.
